Egg-preserving apparatus.



' P. R. JAMES & A. 0. THOMPSON.

Patented Malf. 5, 1912. Y

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK REESOR JAMES AND ALAN GAMER-ON THOMPSON, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO,CANADA, ASSIGNORS- OF THREE-EIGHTI-IS TO SAID JAMES, THREE-EIGHTHS TOSAID THOMPSON, AND ONE FOUBTI-I. T0 THOMAS ALLATT, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

EGG-PRESERVING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Application filed May 4, 1911. Serial No. 624,912;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK Rnnson JAMES and ALAN CAMERON THOMPSON,subjects of the King of Great Britain, both residing at Toronto, in theProvince of On tario, Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Egg-Preserving Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a portable egg preserving apparatus and has asits objects the provision of readily operable means for the evacuationof air or other gas from within the egg-shell and the subsequent sealingof the shell against the readmission of air or other gas or fluid.

I11 the following we have described, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, one means of carrying out the objects of our invention, thefeatures thereof being more particularly pointed out hereinafter in theclaims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of astructure illustrating one mode of carrying out our invention and Fig. 2is a plan view of the same, partly broken away, and with the coverremoved.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

In the drawings 3 indicates a receptacle of any suitable size, shape ormaterial, preferably rectangular and made of a metal, such as cast iron.It is important that the receptacle, when closed by a cover. 4, shouldbe air-tight and to this end we have shown the upper edge of thereceptacle 3 as provided with a seat 5 for a gasket or packing 6,preferably of rubber. The parts may be so pro-- portioned that when thecover is in place and the air exhausted from the receptacle, by themeans herein described, the under surface of the cover will contact withand rest against the upper edge 7 of receptacle 3 and the outer edge 8of the seat 5. The cover 4 may be made of glass so as to permit readyobservation of the interior of the receptacle.

9 indicates an inner receptacle or basket, preferably of wire, open atthe top to receive the charge of eggs and supported on fingers 10, 10,10, on an arm 11 adapted to vertical movement on a guide 12. One side ofarm 11 is provided with a rack 13 meshing with a pinion 14 on shaft 15projecting through the wall of receptacle 3 and provided with a suitablestuffing box (not shown) to provide against the admission of air aroundsaid shaft.

16 is a crank arm on the outer end of shaft 15 and 17 a handle on thecrank arm.

18 is a latch for holding the crank arm from movement when so desired.

19 indicates a vacuum pump by means of which the air may be exhaustedfrom the interior of receptacle 3 through a suitable opening 20. Thepump is operated by a rod 21, connected by means of a link 22 with acrank arm 23 on operating shaft 24 having bearings 25, 25, on the bodyof receptacle 3. Shaft 24 is adapted to be rotated by a crank arm 26provided with a handle 27.

28 indicates a vacuum gage and 29 a valve controlling the admission ofair into receptacle 3.

30 indicates a suitable sealing material, such as wax, adapted to bekept hot, if necessary, by any suitable heating means (not shown) suchas a lamp or gas burner.

In the operation of the device the wax or other sealing material isplaced in the bottom of the receptacle and the eggs to be evacuated andsealed are placed in basket 9. Valve 29 is closed, cover 4 is put inplace and the air exhausted by means of pump 19. When gage 28 indicatesthat substantially all the air has been exhausted, the basket islowered, while the vacuum pressure is still maintained, into the moltenwax, or other sealing fluid, previously heated, if necessary, until theeggs in the basket are entirely submerged in the sealing fluid. Thevalve 29 is then opened. The release of the vacuum pressure and theadmission of air into the receptacle 3 result in subjecting the sealingfluid to substantially atmospheric pressure which drives Or forces thesealing fluid into the pores of the egg-shell, thus assisting inpreserving the same and preventing the readmission of air or other gasinto the egg after the same has been removed from the sealing fluidbath. The eggs may then be raised out of the sealing fluid, the cover 4removed and the basket 9 taken from the receptacle and the eggs dried.They are then ready for storing.

Eggs treated in the manner described will keep for months without anyimpairment of their freshness.

The apparatus itself is simple, compact and easily operable.

Where we use the term basket in the claims it is intended to bedescriptive of any suitable form of egg receiving receptacle.

Where we refer to submerging the eggs in the sealing fluid, of coursethe eggs may be submerged as described or the sealing fluid may be movedto cover the eggs, the latter in this case being held stationary, theessential feature being to bring the eggs in contact with the sealingfluid while in vacuum.

It is obvious that the details of the apparatus as described may bewidely varied without departing from the scope of the invention and wedo not restrict ourselves to such details further than the scope of theappended claims demand.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. An egg preserving apparatus comprising an air-tight receptacle, avacuum pump in connection therewith, an air inlet, an egg retainer, andmeans for causing a relative vertical movement of said receptacle and retainer with reference to each other.

2. An egg preserving apparatus comprising an air-tight receptacle, avacuum pump in connection therewith, an air inlet, an egg retainer andmeans for causing a relative vertical movement of said receptacle andretainer with reference to each other while maintaining the vacuum.

3. An egg preserving apparatus comprising an air-tight receptacle, avacuum pump in connection therewith, an air inlet, a basket within saidreceptacle, and means for moving said basket vertically within saidreceptacle.

4. An egg preserving apparatus comprising a receptacle, a covertherefor, a yield ing support for said cover, a seat against which saidcover is adapted to rest, a vacuum pump in connection with saidreceptacle, an air inlet, a basket within said receptacle, and

means for moving said basket vertically within said receptacle.

5. An egg preservingapparatus comprising an air-tight receptacle, avacuum pump in connection therewith, an air inlet, a basket within saidreceptacle, fingers supporting said basket, an arm supporting saidfingers, a rack on said arm, a pinion in mesh with said rack, and meansfor rotating said pinion.

6. An egg preserving apparatus comprising a receptacle, a transparentglass cover therefor, a support for said cover, means for causing anair-tight closure of said cover and receptacle, a vacuum pump inconnection with said receptacle, an air inlet, a basket in saidreceptacle, and means for moving said basket vertically.

7. An egg preserving apparatus comprising an air-tight receptacle, meansfor creating a substantial vacuum therein, an air inlet,.a basket withinsaid receptacle and means for lowering said basket while maintainingsaid vacuum.

8. An egg preserving apparatus comprising an air-tight receptacle, avacuum pump in connection therewith, an air inlet, a basket within saidreceptacle, fingers supporting said basket, an arm supporting saidfingers, a rack on said arm, a pinion in mesh with said rack, means forrotating said pinion, and means for holding said r0- tating means infixed position.

In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our respective names in thepresence Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

